Practical
Plants

Atractylodes macrocephala

Bai Zhu

a perennial member of the Atractylodes genus in the family Compositae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.5 m
Spread
0.4 m
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Bai Zhu is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine[2]. The root is a bitter-sweet tonic herb that acts mainly upon the digestive system and strengthens the spleen[2][3]. The root is antibacterial, diuretic, hypoglycaemic, sedative, stomachic and tonic[1][2]. It is used in the treatment of poor appetite, dyspepsia, abdominal distension, chronic diarrhoea, oedema and spontaneous sweating[1]. It is often used in conjunction with other herbs such as Codonopsis tangshen and Glycyrrhiza uralensis[2]. Combined with Baical skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) it is used to prevent miscarriage[3]. The roots are harvested in the autumn and baked for use in tonics[2].

Product or use
Antibacterial
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Sedative
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
Tonic

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan and Korea.
Habitat
Pastures and waste ground[2]. Grassland and forests at elevations of 600 - 2800 metres[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the following spring or early summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in any well-drained soil in sun or partial shade[2]. This species is probably hardy in most of Britain, it tolerates temperatures down to at least -15°c[2]. Widely cultivated in China for its use as a medicinal herb[2][4]. This species is dioecious. Both male and female plants need to be grown if seed is required[4].

References

  1. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9

  3. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2

  4. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩1↩2↩3

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